Editor's note: In this weekly feature China Daily gives voice to Asia and its people. The stories presented come mainly from the Asia News Network (ANN), of which China Daily is among its 20 leading titles.

As tourism becomes the fastest way to inject revenue into national economies, countries around the world are competing for international travelers amid a global economic slowdown.

This battle for tourists now involves aggressive visa facilitation, streamlined travel measures, and significant promotional budgets — efforts not merely aimed at enhancing the national image, but at generating tangible economic circulation.

In a startling development, Vietnam welcomed more Chinese tourists than Thailand for the first time in the first quarter of 2025.

While Chinese citizens are still traveling abroad, many are choosing destinations other than Thailand, even as Southeast Asian nations compete with visa-free entry campaigns.

In the first quarter of 2025, 1.6 million Chinese tourists visited Vietnam, compared with just 1.3 million to Thailand.

This shift is notable given that in 2024, the number of Chinese visitors to Vietnam was only half of those arriving in Thailand.

Thailand saw a 24 percent year-on-year drop in Chinese arrivals in the first quarter of 2025, largely due to concerns over safety following the high-profile kidnapping of actor Wang Xing in January.

According to Vietnamese online newspaper VnExpress, analysts cited several factors behind Vietnam's tourism boom: intensified tourism promotion campaigns, geographical advantages, and affordability.

This trend accelerated in May, when Chinese arrivals to Vietnam surpassed those from South Korea for the first time, reaching 357,907 visitors — or nearly 40 percent of all international tourists that month.

It marked the first time since Vietnam's post-COVID reopening in March 2022 that China became its top inbound market.

Proactive strategy

Nguyen Tien Dat, CEO of AZA Travel, credited the surge in Chinese tourists to Vietnam's proactive "tourism diplomacy" strategy.

The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism has launched targeted campaigns in China and increased direct flights, such as VietJet's new Ho Chi Minh City-Xi'an route launched on April 29.

Geographically, Vietnam holds an edge as Chinese mainland has only a few swimmable beaches aside from Hainan Island. Chinese tourists, especially those seeking sun and sea, often prefer destinations like Thailand and Vietnam.

Experts suggest Vietnam should focus on attracting high-spending tourists from major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.

Pham Ha, CEO of LuxGroup, a luxury cruise provider, argued that Vietnam should position itself as a premium destination for Chinese travelers by offering high-end shopping, world-class cuisine, access to international luxury brands, and five-star hotel experiences.